Weekly song, hymn and recorded music suggestions and resources for worship - based on the Revised Common Lectionary. Suggestions are posted on Wednesday nights, usually a few weeks in advance of each Sunday.

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Monday, May 26, 2008

Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19The story of NoahNCH 32 / HPP 32 / VU 229 / HPSS 272God of the sparrow, God of the whale. This is a beautiful song, but I find the reference to creatures kind of odd. Works especially well this week with the lyric: “God of the rainbow, God of the cross, God of the empty grave”. I like to listen to this version from the River's Voice album Namaste.TiS 668 / NCH 569 Touch the earth lightly, sings of the redemption of all creation.Tune In: Tune in. A simple kid’s song. “Tune in, tune in, there’s a message coming in.” Encourages kids to look for signs of God’s love. Lyrics and sample available here.Seeds of Faith: It’s a sign of God’s love. Not a congregational song – needs someone to sing this to the kids, really. Sample and lyrics available on this website.

Recorded Music: "Just look up" by Eric Bibb and Michael Jerome Browne. On Eric Bibb's album "Friends" and on Putumayo's "Folk Playground". "There's a rainbow waiting for you, just look up".Recorded Music"Didn't it Rain" Mahalia Jackson. Just love this song!

Psalm 46God our refuge and strength, even in the midst of disasterTiS 103 / AHB 8 / NCH 439 / HPP 382 / VU 262 / GC 607 / HPPS 260 A mighty fortress is our God. The old versions are not gender inclusive for God, but the rest of the words are so ancient and poetic it doesn't bother me as much as some other hymns. The New Century Hymnal has excellent lyrics that are inclusive and have not lost their poetry.NCH 408 All my hope on God is founded. The lyrics in the AHB and TiS (and most other hymnals) are not gender inclusive for God at all, and it’s hard to make one or two simple replacements. The lyrics in the New Century Hymnal are excellent and well worth using.ATOK 311 / Iona / AOV(2)54 Be still and know that I am God (Iona)ATW 496 / Come all you people (Iona) / AoV ?? Don’t be afraid, my love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear – excellent parts for this simple song. Reminds me of a Billy Joel song. Sorry, that’s probably ruined it for some of you.TiS 621 / VU 677 / GC(2) 717 O God of every nation. Excellent modern words “O God of every nation, of every race and land, redeem your whole creation with your almighty hand; where hate and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled, in love and mercy guide us, and heal our strife-torn world”. Tune is not unfamiliar, but not well known by our congregation. Works quite well sung to Passion Chorale / O Sacred Head (TiS 339).TIS 184 / Heaven Shall not wait When trouble strikes and fear takes root Good English folk melody. May be a little tricky if unfamiliarTiS 262 When pain and terror strike by chance These excellent words may be particularly helpful given the recent disasters in Burma and China. Very familiar Irish folk tune.Many and Great (Iona) / GC(2) 673 Stand, O Stand Firm: excellent call to be strong in faith. Fits well with the Romans reading also.Linnea Good: Come and ponder everything. A quiet meditative chant of only these 4 words to be sung as a refrain to the reading over background music. Quite a different take on the psalm; would be good to provide some space in the worship service to include this. Could also use the 4 chants below in a similar manner - depending on the message you'd like to focus on.TiS 737 / Heaven Shall Not Wait (Iona) Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of All.TiS 747 / Taize / The Lord is my light, my light and salvationTaize / TiS 739 / AoV2-041 / ATOK 404 / VU290 / GA269 / SFFS 2054 / G(II)451 / GC639 / GC(II)626 / CP568 / W&R421 Nada te turbe / Nothing Can TroubleTiS 725 / Taize / In our darkness there is no darkness (La tenebre)Tune In: Alive in Me “Quieten our minds so that we may hear the voice of love that will heal our fears”. Lyrics and sample available here.Tune In: All will finish well “You, in all our worries, you offer peace”. Lyrics and sample available here.Tune In: the God that I know. A ballad drawing on God’s strength and comfort. Lyrics and sample available here.

Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28, (29-31) Not ashamed of the Gospel, Paul gets into a circuitous argument. Justification by FaithATOK 376 Faith, hope and love: rocky little number from Trisha Watts.TiS 671 Faith will not grow from words alone. Excellent inquisitive words to a standard hymn tune.TiS 604 Make me a channel of your peace. TiS 157 / AHB 103 / CH246 / A&M547 / PH297 / CP411 / CP(E) 263 O Lord of every shining constellation / Great God of every shining constellation
(Bayly) Great words; the tune in the Australian hymnals (NORTHBROOK) is
a little tricky. Note that AHB is masculine for all people, so look up
other sources for inclusive language.

STB189 Why have you forsaken me?
(Wallace) Quite formal and sorrowful words of Christ's sorrows,
including his crucifixion and the death of Lazarus. Helpful. Set to a
lovely Japanese melody - will need to be taught.

Matthew 7:21-29Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom.
"The wise man built his house upon the rock" Old kids action song. Search on google if you can't remember it. It's good for smaller kids; my 4 year old loves this song!TiS 578 / AHB 491 / NCH 407 / HPP248 How Firm a Foundation. Really masculine language, except, again for the New Century Hymnal. Use those words if you can.TiS 624 Christ be my leader by night as by day – Good celtic tune, excellent words.Heaven Shall not wait / VU 952 Through our lives and by our prayers, your kingdom come. A simple chant.Worldmaking: Ground and Source of all that is, one that anchors all our roots. This song is very beautiful and easy to sing. We’ve sung it a few times at Brunswick and it would be nice to sing it again. Listen to it, and read the lyrics here.GC(II)660: Deliver us, O Lord of truth (Stuempfle). Solid, challenging words of speaking carefully; specifically mentions this passage in the last verse. American folk tune.

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Index of abbreviations (roughly alphabetical):

AA:Alleluia Aotearoa(New Zealand Hymnbook Trust)A&M: Ancient and Modern (2013 Edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern)AHB: The Australian Hymn Book, published as "With One Voice" in NZ, UK (1977) AoV, AoV2, AoVK, AoVNG:As One Voice, As One Voice 2, As One Voice For Kids and As One Voice The Next GenerationATN, ATA, ATOK, ATE, ATW, ATFG, ATAR:"All Together Now", "All Together Again", "All Together Everybody", "All Together OK", "All Together Whatever", "All Together For Good" and "All Together All Right".CH: Church Hymnary 4 (a.k.a. "Hymns of Glory Songs of Praise")Cha:Chalice HymnalChaP:Chalice PraiseCoC: Carol our ChristmasCP: Common Praise. Anglican (Canada).CP(E): Common Praise. Church of England.ELW: Evangelical Lutheran WorshipFFS: Faith Forever SingingGA:Gather AustraliaG(II) / GC / GC(II) / G(3): Gather 2nd Edition, Gather Comprehensive, Gather Comprehensive 2, Gather 3.GTB: Gospelling to the BeatGtG: Glory to God (sampler of New Presbyterian Hymnal)HiOS: Hope is our Song (NZ Hymbook Trust)HPP:Hymns for a Pilgrim PeopleHPSS / PH: Presbyterian (USA) Hymnal.Iona: Various Songbooks from the Iona communityLau: Laudate (Decani)LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship.MP: Mission PraiseMV: More Voices (United Church of Canada). MfL: Music for Liturgy (from St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, San Francisco)NCH: New Century HymnalPfAS: Psalms for all seasonsSFFS:Sing the Faith/The Faith we SingSiS: Scripture in SongSLW: Sounds of Living WaterSP: Sing Praise, a new book from Hymns Ancient and ModernSP&P: Sing! Prayer and Praise, new bookSrce: The SourceStB: Sound the Bamboo, (Christian Conference of Asia) StF: Singing the Faith (UK Methodist)StJ/StS: Sing the Journey, Sing the StoryTaize: Various Songbooks from the Taize community TiS:Together in SongTOSB: The Other Song BookTune In:A collection of songs from Brunswick Uniting Church (my church!). Songbook available here. UMH: United Methodist HymnalURW: Upper Room WorshipbookVF: Voices FoundVU: Voices UnitedW&R:Worship and RejoiceWoV: With one Voice (Lutheran Book of Worship)ZSS: Zion Still Sings

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About me

I am a small l liberal, small o orthodox, small p progressive, big C Christian laywoman who started voluntarily suggesting songs for her congregation (Brunswick Uniting Church) each week. From that seemingly small task, this website has grown. I still do it entirely on a voluntary basis.
I grew up on a steady diet of Methodist hymn-singing and Scripture in Song. As a teenager I led a youth group and we did the whole Praise and Worship band thing and tried to be like Hillsong. We also had an a capella sextet that sang some pretty awesome African American Gospel. In my 20s, I grew to love Taize, Iona and African song (thanks World Council of Churches), then lived in the USA for 3 years and grew to love American hymnody, Sacred Harp singing, and cantored Psalms.
Congregationally, I like songs that are beautiful, that are intelligent, and that are inclusive. I believe a song doesn't have to be new to fit these criteria. I love songs written by people in my worship community, but I also think it's important to sing songs from other traditions and other countries.
I'd love to hear from you!
My email is: LectionarySinger@gmail.com